248 WILLIAMS' CASE.—3 BLAND.

the seasons, and other peculiarities, influencing health and lon-
gevity, differ so greatly from those of most other countries, as to
render this set of tables, unaided by other evidences, insufficient
for the determination of the exact average mortality amongst the
the population of any other and different regions. 1 Malth. Popu.
b. 2, c. 2; 9 Westm. Rev. 386.

The last and most recently constructed set of European tables,
are those formed about the year 1825, by John Finlaison, the
actuary of the National Debt Office of England. These tables
were deduced from observations upon the life annuitants of the
English Government, composed of all classes dispersed over all
England, and amounting to nearly twenty-five thousand people,
during a period of more than thirty years. But, against these
tables it may be objected as against those of Sweden, that they
appear to be based upon a. \ iew of the population of the whole
* country, without distinction as to particular places of habi-
235 tation, or any discrimination as to the people, other than the
duration of life of each sex; and also, that those State annuitants
may be regarded as a selection of the best lives from the common
mass. 2 Price Obscr. 454. Nevertheleps, these tables of Finlai-
sou's, are now considered by many as the most comprehensive,
accurate, and generally trustworthy tables extant for England.
9 Westm. Rev. 398. 403. .

The only tables of the expectation of life which have been cal-
culated from any observations in this country are those founded on
the results furnished by the records of the Episcopal Church, and
of the Board of Health of the City of Philadelphia, which, it is
said, have been adopted by the Pennsylvania Company for insu-
rance on lives and granting annuities. Seybert Stat. Ann. 51; Trans.
Philo. Soci. Philad. vol. 3, No. 7, p. 25; 2 Mafth. Popu. 16.

All these tables however, relate simply to the expectation of the
life of individuals at various ages, and nothing more. But, in
many instances, the annuity, or life interest, is made to depend
upon two or more lives of the same or different ages; and, conse-
quently the expectation of each life must be considered, and the
case thus becomes more complex; but being deduced from the
same known facts, as to each life, an estimate of their joint value
is still nothing more than the result of a regular arithmetical cal-
culation according to rules and tables to be found in the books
which treat of such calculations.

There are instances, however, in which the annuity or estate
is made to depend upon other contingencies, in connexion with
that of the expectation of the life of the individual; as where
an estate is given to a person to hold until he shall receive an
appointment to some office of profit, or so long as he lives un-
married; in which case it is not only necessary to ascertain the
expectation of life which may be allowed to the individual; but